Mirella Baroni

Mirella Baroni passed away peacefully on June 29, 2026, at the age of 91, after a 20-year battle with Alzheimer’s.

Mirella was born on October 14, 1934, in New York, New York, to Elia and Francesco “Frank” Baroni. She graduated Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School in 1952. She later earned her bachelor’s in Sociology from Hunter College in 1957 and master’s in Sociology from the City College of New York in 1960. Mirella dedicated many years working towards a doctorate in Sociology at City College, ultimately completing all but her dissertation.

Mirella was a woman of many talents devoting her life to academia, public service, her family, and community. She worked as a sociology professor at Brooklyn College and served as a parole officer and Deputy City Tax Collector. As the daughter of Northern Italian immigrants, Mirella took immense pride in her Trentino heritage. She was among the founders of Club Trentino located in Queens, New York, and maintained close ties with her relatives and friends in Riva del Garda, Trentino, Italy.

She will be dearly missed by her daughter, Franca Harris Gutierrez, son-in-law, Andrew Talavera Gutierrez, and grandchildren, Keira Milena and Marco Matteo; as well as all who knew her. She will be remembered for her passion for learning, love of family, and tenacious spirit.